• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.446-452
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• 2013

Chronic consumption of a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet increases insulin resistance and results in type 2 diabetes mellitus in C57BL/6J mice. Hyperglycemia in diabetics increases oxidative stress, which is associated with a high risk of diabetic complications. The purpose of this study was to examine the hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects of chamnamul [Pimpinella brachycarpa (Kom.) Nakai] in an animal model of type 2 diabetes. The ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity of a 70% ethanol extract of chamnamul was measured in vitro. Five-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed a basal or HFHS diet with or without a 70% ethanol extract of chamnamul at a 0.5% level of the diet for 12 weeks after 1 week of adaptation. After sacrifice, serum glucose, insulin, adiponectin, and lipid profiles, and lipid peroxidation of the liver were determined. Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was determined. Chamnamul extract inhibited ${\alpha}$-glucosidase by 26.7%, which was 78.3% the strength of inhibition by acarbose at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. Serum glucose, insulin, and cholesterol levels, as well as HOMA-IR values, were significantly lower in the chamnamul group than in the HFHS group. Chamnamul extract significantly decreased the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the liver compared with the HFHS group. These findings suggest that chamnamul may be useful in prevention of hyperglycemia and reduction of oxidative stress in mice fed a HFHS diet.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 2015

Background: Alcoholic steatosis is the earliest and most common liver disease, and may precede the onset of more severe forms of liver injury. Methods: The effect of Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) was tested in two murine models of ethanol (EtOH)-feeding and EtOH-treated hepatocytes. Results: Blood biochemistry analysis demonstrated that RGE treatment improved liver function. Histopathology and measurement of hepatic triglyceride content verified the ability of RGE to inhibit fat accumulation. Consistent with this, RGE administration downregulated hepatic lipogenic gene induction and restored hepatic lipolytic gene repression by EtOH. The role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver diseases is well established. Treatment with RGE attenuated EtOH-induced cytochrome P450 2E1, 4-hydroxynonenal, and nitrotyrosine levels. Alcohol consumption also decreased phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, which was restored by RGE. Moreover, RGE markedly inhibited fat accumulation in EtOH-treated hepatocytes, which correlated with a decrease in sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 and a commensurate increase in sirtuin 1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a expression. Interestingly, the ginsenosides Rb2 and Rd, but not Rb1, significantly inhibited fat accumulation in hepatocytes. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that RGE and its ginsenoside components inhibit alcoholic steatosis and liver injury by adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/sirtuin 1 activation both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that RGE may have a potential to treat alcoholic liver disease.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.385-394
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• 2020

Eupatilin is known to possess anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory properties. We report here that eupatilin has a protective effect on the ethanol-induced injury in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups: control, vehicle, silymarin, eupatilin 10 mg/kg, eupatilin 30 mg/kg, and eupatilin 100 mg/kg. Plasma levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were analyzed to determine the extent of liver damage. Total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were analyzed to determine the level of liver steatosis. Malondialdehyde level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and glutathione (GSH) level were analyzed to determine the extent of oxidative stress. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β were quantified to verify the degree of inflammation. Based on our findings, chronic alcohol treatment significantly changed the serum indexes and liver indicators of the model rats, which were significantly improved by eupatilin treatment. Rats in the eupatilin-treatment group showed reduced levels of AST, ALT, TG, TC, TNF-α, and IL-1β, increased SOD activity and GSH levels, and improved overall physiology compared to the alcoholic liver disease model rats. H&E staining also verified the eupatilin-mediated improvement in liver injury. In conclusion, eupatilin inhibits alcohol-induced liver injury via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.242-250
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• 2021

Artemisia frigida Willd (AW, Fringed sagewort), which is widespread in Mongolia, is a well-known medicinal plant as a member of the Compositae family. This study aims to explore the gastroprotective effect of water extract of AW on 150 mM HCl/60% ethanol-induced acute gastritis in 5 week old male ICR mice. Total polyphenols, total flavonoid contents, and anti-oxidant activity in vitro in AW were evaluated. First, the gross area of gastric mucosal damage was measured. Then western blot analysis was conducted to determine the possible mechanisms of action underlying the effects of AW. AW administration decreased gastric mucosal damage. Moreover, the group with AW treatment effectively inhibited nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase expression associated with oxidative stress. AW treatment enhanced an anti-oxidant effect through the increase of anti-oxidant proteins. Besides, the increased expressions of inflammatory cytokines induced by nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation are alleviated through AW treatment. Taken together, AW exerted a gastroprotective effect against gastric mucosal damage. These results indicate that AW could have the potential used as a natural therapeutic drug for the treatment of acute gastritis.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.183-194
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• 2017

Objectives: Chijasitang (CJST) has been prescribed for patients with anxiety disorder, and is believed to treat insomnia. The present study was carried out to investigate whether Fructus Gardeniae, Fermented Semen Sojae Preparatum and CJST have beneficial effects on treating anti-stress. Methods: The mice were divided into the following groups: normal, control, positive control, and experimental. Then, the experimental groups were further divided into the Fructus Gardeniae group (FG), the Fermented Semen Sojae Preparatum group (FS), the Chijasitang water extract group (CJSTW), and the Chijasitang 30% ethanol extract group (CJSTE). In the positive control group, a single dose of imipramine ($500{\mu}g/g$) was applied to the mice. In the experimental groups, each single dose of FG, FS, CJSTW and CJSTE ($50{\mu}g/g$) was applied to the mice. After one hour, the mice in all groups except the normal group were exposed to immobilization stress. Their body weights, phagocytosis, nitric oxide in macrophage, corticosterone, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were observed. Results: Fructus Gardeniae, Fermented Semen Sojae Preparatum and Chijasitang prevented weight loss and suppressed the decrease of phagocytosis in the mice after their exposure to immobilization-stress. Although they did not influence the amount of NO, they suppressed the increment of ACTH and corticosterone in the immobilization-stressed mice. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, they suggest that Fructus Gardeniae, Fermented Semen Sojae Preparatum and Chi-Ja-Si-Tang all have some anti-stress effects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.200-200
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• 2017

Salinity stress is one of the most important abiotic stresses and severely impairs plant growth and production. Root is the first site for nutrient accumulation like as $Na^+$ in the plant. To investigate the response of wheat root under salinity stress, we executed the characterization of morphology and analysis of metabolites. Wheat seeds cv. Keumgang (Korean cultivar) were grown on the moist filter paper in Petri dish. After 5 days, seedlings were transferred to hydroponic apparatus at 1500 LUX light intensity, at $20^{\circ}C$ with 70% relative humidity in a growth chamber. Seedlings (5-day-old) were exposed to 50mM, 75mM, 100mM NaCl for 5 days. Ten-day-old seedlings were used for morphological characterization and metabolite analysis. Root and leaf length became shorter in high NaCl concentration compared to following NaCl treatment. For confirmation of salt accumulation, wheat roots were stained with $CoroNa^+$ Green AM, and fluoresce, and the image was taken by confocal microscopy. $Na^+$ ion accumulation rate was higher at 100mM compared to the untreated sample. Furthermore, to analyze metabolites in the wheat root, samples were extracted by $D_2O$ solvent, and extracted sample was analyzed by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Fourteen metabolites were identified in wheat roots using NMR spectroscopy. Methanol and ethanol were up-regulated, whereas formate, aspartate, aminobutyrate, acetate and valine were down-regulated under salinity stress on roots of wheat. Fumarate had no change, while glucose, betaine, choline, glutamate and lactate were unevenly affected during salinity stress.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.163-174
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• 2009

Reactive oxygen species(ROS) can induce hepatotoxicity and trigger apoptosis in the liver. In this study, we investigated the sulfated polysaccharide A-1 from Opuntia ficus-indica against alcoholic oxidative stress in human liver Hep G2 cell. An antioxidant substance A-1 obtained from the enzymatic extract of Opuntia ficus-indica fruit was purified by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange and sephadex G-100 gel permeation chromatography. The purification yield and molecular weight were 14.3% and 1.8 KDa, respectively. The A-1 predominately contained arabinose, galactose, rhamnose and also sulfate group. The structure of A-1 was investigated by periodate oxidation, FT-IR spectroscopy, $^1H$-NMR spectroscopy. The A-1 mainly composed of alternating unit of ${\rightarrow}4$)-$\alpha$-L- Rapp-2-$SO_3^-$-$\alpha$-L-Galp-($1{\rightarrow}$ and branched linkage of $\beta$-D-Arbp- ($5{\rightarrow}$. The antioxidative activity was measured using the SOD, CAT activity and GSH assay, respectively. The expression of Nrf2 protein was analyzed by western blotting. The viable cell count analyzed by autofluorescence. Oxidative stress induced by ethanol(1 M) were dramatically reduced by A-1 treatment. A-1 also prevented cell death induced by oxidative stress. It also increased expression Nrf2 protein level. We concluded that sulfated polysaccharide A-1 from Opuntia ficus-indica effectively protect Hep G2 liver cell from alcoholic oxidative stress.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the effects of Galhwahyejung-tang (GHT) on alcohol-induced oxidative stress in rat model. Methods: Twenty SD rats were orally administrated with 40% ethanol (mL/kg) combined with GHT (50, 100, 200mg/kg) or distilled water for 2 weeks. Biochemistry in blood, malondialdehyde (MDA), total reactive oxygen species (ROS), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum, liver, brain, and kidney were determined. Results: GHT treatment significantly ameliorated the alcohol-induced alteration of hepatic enzyme; especially AST and ALT. GHT treatment also ameliorated the increase of MDA in liver, ROS level in serum and brain. GHT treatment reduced the depletion of antioxidant capacity in serum and brain. Conclusion: These results that GHT has antioxidant properties explaining the relevance of clinical application and its partial mechanisms of GHT.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2017

Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill. (Saururaceae) has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of dysuria, leukorrhea, eczema, jaundice and ascites in Korea, China and Japan. Ethanol extract of S. chinensis was successively partitioned as methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and $H_2O$ soluble fractions. Among those fractions the ethyl acetate soluble fraction showed the most potent DPPH radical scavenging and superoxide quenching activities. To verify antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate fraction, we checked the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, and intracellular ROS level and oxidative stress tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Furthermore, to see if increased stress tolerance of worms by treating of ethyl acetate fraction was due to regulation of stress-response gene, we quantified SOD-3 expression using transgenic strain. Consequently, ethyl acetate fraction elevated SOD and catalase activities of C. elegans, and reduced intracellular ROS accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ethyl acetate fraction-treated CF1553 worms exhibited significantly higher SOD-3::GFP intensity.

• Quantitative Bio-Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2018

This study was performed to investigate the cytoprotective effects of Stachys riederi var. japonica ethanol extract (SREE) to control oxidative stress induced by UVA-irradiation by examining antioxidant capacity and gene expression of cytochrome c using human dermal fibroblasts. The total polyphenolics and flavonoids in the SREE were 41.2 and 25.4 mg/g, respectively. At concentrations of 500 and $1000{\mu}g/mL$, the electron-donating ability of SREE was 48.6% and 82.0%, respectively, and the 2,2'-azino-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity was 62.3% and 78.8%, respectively. These findings showed that SREE has a fairly good antioxidant capacity. As determined by an MTT assay, the maximum permissible level for treating SREE to human dermal fibroblasts was shown to be over $200{\mu}g/mL$. SREE ($200{\mu}g/mL$) significantly decreased cytochrome c mRNA and protein expression by 31.1% (p<0.001) and 38.8% (p<0.01), respectively. These findings suggest that SREE may protect human skin cells against mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis. Therefore, SREE seems to be a natural antioxidant to protect cells against oxidative stress induced by UVA-irradiation.